The Animals of Chinese New Year

All the animals of the Chinese Zodiak are having a race across the river to see who will be the first to represent the New Year in the 12 animal cycle. Each animal plays to its strength, hoping to be victorious. The rabbit is friendly; the snake is quiet, the monkey laughs and swings, with all vying for the prize as promised by the most powerful god, the Jade Emperor. The rat wins the race, but every animal is invited to the party, of course. Gung hay fat choi!

With The Animals of Chinese New Year, Sookfong Lee has created an endearing book that introduces readers to a culturally significant tradition. Each simple sentence does double time, describing the defining characteristics of one of the 12 symbolic animals of the Chinese zodiac while also advancing the story about the mythological competition. The accompanying full-colour pictures of modern children are adorable representations of the action described. Babies will love looking at the perfectly posed infants, recognizing themselves in the images, and toddlers can have the added engagement of mimicking the actions described on each page.

Also of note are the simplified Chinese characters that accompany every line of text, anchoring the book in the culture from which it was born and the ornate crimson animal illustrations that frolic among the words on every page. The Animals of Chinese New Year is a delight to read to a very young audience and an opportunity to explore, as if new, an enduring tale.